Nigeria’s Quartet Ready to Shine as China Women’s Super League Begins this week

The 2026 Chinese Women’s Super League kicks off this weekend, and from a Nigerian perspective, the spotlight firmly rests on a strong Super Falcons contingent set to make waves across China.

A total of four Nigerian players headline Africa’s presence in the league, second only to Zambia’s five representatives, underlining Nigeria’s continued export of elite women’s football talent.

Leading the Nigerian pack is forward Alice Ogebe, who will feature for Shaanxi, alongside Uganda’s Aisha Nantongo. Ogebe’s experience and attacking instinct will be crucial as her side pushes for a strong start.

At Zhejiang, the duo of Mary-Ann Ezenagu and Julliet Bassey offers a blend of creativity and defensive solidity, positioning the club as one to watch this season.

Meanwhile, rising midfield talent Folashade Ijamilusi will suit up for Liaoning, a side that narrowly missed out on the title last season and will be eager to go one better this term.

Across the league, African influence remains significant. Zambia leads the continent’s representation with five players, including notable names like Ruth Mukoma and Kabange Mupopo, while countries such as Mali, DR Congo, Burundi, Uganda, Liberia, and Ghana also have players featuring.

Opening Weekend Fixtures

The new season begins on April 25 with defending champions Beijing taking on Zhejiang. Other key fixtures include Wuhan vs Changchun, Liaoning vs Guangdong, Shandong vs Jiangsu, Guangxi vs Sichuan, and Shanghai, featuring Zambia’s Ruth Mukoma—against Shaanxi.

Season Format

The league will follow a two-phase structure. The first phase runs from Matchday 1 to 11, after which teams split into championship and relegation group, raising the stakes as the season progresses.

For Nigeria, this season is more than just participation, it’s another opportunity to reinforce its status as a powerhouse in women’s football exports. With four players spread across competitive sides, all eyes will be on how the Super Falcons stars shape the narrative in China.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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